At Beyond the Box, we are constantly thinking of ideas to give something unique, refreshing as well as challenging to our community of writers. Two to Tango was one such endeavour to encourage the participants to work along with another writer as a team and bring about a creative synergy. 66 teams participated in this one-of-its-kind contest and the winners were chosen by an eclectic jury panel comprising of prolific authors Ramendra Kumar, Shilpa Suraj and Apeksha Rao. Below prompt was given to the writers and they were asked to narrate the same story from two different points of view.
Prompt – Write a fictional story in which a character’s life undergoes some kind of major change due to a lost mobile. Feel free to creatively interpret this concept in any genre of your choice.
The Special Mentions in the kids’ category were Nivedha and Akshitha (Team 17). Enjoy their story!
Story Title: A LOST PHONE, A CHANGED LIFE
Point of View #1 – Lizzy’s POV
By Akshitha
“Hey, Tristan!” I yelled. “Yeah?” he yelled back. “Do you want to come to the beach with me at 4?” he shook his head, “I can’t Lizzy. I must babysit my brother, Devon. Apparently, Lucas can’t today, because he’s busy.” “Devon can come with us!” I added. “Ok,” he replied, as we happily walked home together.
At 4, we walked down to the beach. As soon as we got there, I pulled out my phone and took a couple of selfies with all of us and immediately uploaded the picture on my Insta story. I ‘ve always loved Instagram.
As Devon splashed in the water, I asked everyone if they wanted some ice-cream. “Chocolate!” Devon shouted. “Ok Devon,” I replied, as I went to buy the ice-cream.
We stayed on the beach until the sun started to set. We slowly headed back home. It was exactly 11 PM when I realised my phone was missing! I couldn’t find it anywhere! Using the landline, I quickly called Tristan and asked him about my phone, but he assured me that he didn’t see it and bluntly ended the call. He really wasn’t being himself.
Two days after crying over my lost phone, I heard a firm knock on the door. I went to the door, and the police were outside. “Yes?” I asked them, very confused. “We saw your Insta story…and we saw HIM in the background,” An officer said, “He is wanted for killing his parents,” “We were wondering if you had any other pictures of him on your phone? We can’t see his face very well in this one,” the officer asked politely. I couldn’t believe it. “Please give me a sec,” I said, as I ran inside. Does this have anything to do with my lost phone? Maybe, it’s just a coincidence! I slumped on the ground of my bedroom in shock. I looked up and found a note hidden under a book on my desk. I picked it up.
The words, “This is for your own good,” were written, in a familiar handwriting.
Point of View #2 – Tristan’s POV
By Nivedha
“Hey, Tristan!” Lizzy yelled at me. “Yeah?” I yelled back. “Do you want to come to the beach with me at 4?” I shook my head, disappointed. “I can’t Lizzy, I have to babysit my brother, Devon. Apparently, Lucas can’t today, because he’s busy.” I lied. “Devon can come with us!” Lizzy added, “Ok” I replied, as we walked home together.
At 4, we walked down to the beach. As soon as we got there, Lizzy pulled out her phone and took a few selfies with all of us. She immediately uploaded a picture on her Insta story.
As Devon splashed in the water, Lizzy asked us if we wanted some ice-cream. “Chocolate!” Devon shouted. “Ok Devon,” Lizzy replied and went to buy the ice-cream, leaving her phone on the sand.
When she left, I picked her phone and opened Instagram to see for any likes on her post. But, when I took a closer look at the picture, I noticed HIM in the background. This post needed to go! As I tried to delete it, I realised, the post had one like by then. In a state of panic, I slid the phone in my pocket, JUST as Lizzy came back with the ice-cream.
We stayed on the beach until the sun started to set. We slowly headed back home. At 11 pm, someone called me. “Tristan, have you seen my phone?” It turned out to be Lizzy. “No!” I lied, throwing her phone in my fireplace. After a while of assuring her that I didn’t see her phone, I ended the call.
I knew what I had to do. At midnight, I ran to Lizzy’s house, and climbed up to her balcony. I picked her lock and entered her room. I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote “This is for your own good,” and left it hidden, on her table. I prepared to leave the area, with Devon and my older brother, Lucas. If I hadn’t done this, Lucas’s next target would be Lizzy. Let the lost phone be lost to keep our friendship everlasting.